Valença stands on a hill on the left bank of the Minho river, right opposite the Galician town of Tui and its fortified cathedral. For centuries the two towns eyed each other as enemies across the river; today they are joined by two bridges and a steady flow of people.
The fortress
Valença's old centre is enclosed in a large bastioned fortress, built mainly in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, during and after the Restoration War against Spain, on the Vauban system: two fortified enclosures linked by a bridge, with bastions, moats, ravelins and monumental gates. It is one of the best-preserved fortifications in the Iberian Peninsula, and the view from the ramparts over the Minho and Tui is superb. Inside the walls are the mother church, chapels, small squares and dozens of shops selling linen, towels, tablecloths and crafts, popular with Galicians.
The international bridge
The international bridge between Valença and Tui, opened in 1886, is a two-level iron structure, one for the railway and one for road and pedestrians. It is often attributed to Gustave Eiffel, but it was in fact designed by a Spanish engineer. Walking across it means crossing between two countries in a few minutes.
The Way of St James
Valença is one of the most important stops on the Portuguese Way of St James (the central route from Lisbon and Porto): here pilgrims leave Portugal for Galicia, about 120 kilometres from Santiago de Compostela, just over the 100-kilometre minimum needed to earn the Compostela. That is why many start the walk at Valença or Tui.
Surroundings
Near the fortress, Monte do Faro, with a viewpoint at about 560 metres, looks out over the Minho valley and Galicia. Valença is linked to Viana do Castelo and Porto by the Minho line train and the A3 motorway. Along the river are Caminha and Monção.